OLD ROEBOURNE GAOL TO BE CLOSED UNTIL 2022
The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage has confirmed the Old Roebourne Gaol will be closed to the public until mid 2022.
The historic site attracts over 3000 people annually and serves as an important event location for the town.
In a statement released to Ngaarda Media, the Department says:
The historic Roebourne Gaol Precinct, which is comprised of the Courthouse, Gaol and Police Station, has significance as a cultural and interpretive site and tourism destination.
The precinct will be temporarily closed to the public due to the current lease-holder, ‘Grateful Remnants’, vacating the premises.
The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage is however committed to ensuring the conservation and eventual reactivation and revitalisation of this heritage precinct.
The Gaoler’s Quarters are soon to undergo conservation works which will enable the building to be used as office space.
A registration of interest process for development of the precinct (as a whole) cannot proceed until these works have been completed in the first half of 2022.
Since 2019, the Department has spent over $1.5 million on building and conservation improvement works to the precinct.
The news comes as the current occupants of the site, Grateful Remnants marked one year residing in the gaol, but Director Sue Philpot is disappointed with Department’s decision.
“I really personally don't see why the old jail just couldn't keep operating exactly. So what is the issue? It's watertight.
What the department saying that it's not safe to keep operating or well basically they want to put out an expression of interest and they would like it to go to an organization to manage the whole Precinct full stop.
Is there any more money in the bucket for renovations from the Department? their Department have allocated a certain amount per year for the next few years to do that? The old gaol is not part of that bucket. Everything that has is done. There has been managed through the Reuben Heritage group.”